Cutting vital social services

If Louisiana did not have such a significant problem with family violence, it probably wouldn't matter that the state's domestic violence and shelter programs have fallen victim to budget cuts.

But we do. Rare is the day that domestic violence incidents aren't in the news.

And the victims who make the choice to leave an abuser often need assistance to do it.

These are people who need strong arms and supportive help the most. The danger they face is life threatening.

As domestic violence programs around the state cope with a 16 percent mid-year cut amounting to almost $1 million, some shelters in the state will turn more people away.

In northeastern Louisiana, The Wellspring will take a $98,320 cut to its domestic violence program, said the organization's President and CEO Judy Bell.

Bell said The Wellspring's leadership team worked during the holiday break to make budget adjustments.

"While all cuts are very difficult to address, we are attempting to make adjustments that will not greatly diminish services, especially the number of beds in the safe shelter," she said. "Survivors of domestic violence should continue to expect to receive the same quality of services as they have since 1980 from The Wellspring."

For that foresight, our local agency is to be commended. But that is not the case statewide.

Children and Family Services Secretary Suzy Sonnier said she is uncertain how individual shelters will handle the cuts.

"There's no doubt these are good programs," she said. "These decisions are extremely difficult to make."

Sonnier said after the cuts, her agency still is spending $5.3 million for domestic violence services around the state.

"We're really in a very precarious situation where another round of cuts is going to destabilize the entire system," said Beth Meeks, executive director of the coalition.

In announcing the reductions, the Jindal administration said the state was moving away from costly residential care for domestic violence victims in favor of short-term hotel stays and family care.

But we wonder whether those making the cuts truly understand the importance of having a safe shelter where people can seek refuge anonymously and stay long enough to stabilize their lives.

A few hotel nights won't make a difference for a family trying to start over in a volatile situation. Shelters provide much more than a roof and a bed.

The support of these shelters and domestic violence programs saves lives every day.

The editorials in this column represent the opinions of The News-Star's editorial board, composed of President and Publisher David B. Petty, Executive Editor Kathy Spurlock and community representatives Kay Kellogg Katz, Harris Brown and Will Sutton.

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Cutting vital social services

If Louisiana did not have such a significant problem with family violence, it probably wouldn't matter that the state's domestic violence and shelter programs have fallen victim to budget cuts.But we